Stellar Bars in Spinning Halos: Delayed Buckling and Absence of Slowdown

TL;DR

This study uses high-resolution simulations to explore how spinning dark matter halos influence stellar bar evolution, revealing delayed buckling, sustained pattern speeds, and implications for galaxy dynamics.

Contribution

It demonstrates that varying dark matter density and halo spin can significantly delay buckling and maintain strong bars, offering new insights into galaxy evolution models.

Findings

Delayed buckling in high-spin halos.

Bars remain strong with nearly constant pattern speed.

Formation and growth of peanut-shaped bulges.

Abstract

We use high resolution numerical simulations in order to analyze the stellar bar evolution in spinning dark matter (DM) halos. Previous works have shown that the halo spin has a substantial effect on the bar evolution and can lead to bar dissolution following the vertical buckling instability. Here, we invoke the DM spin sequence, $\lambda=0-0.09$, and study the effect of DM density along this $\lambda$-sequence by varying the compactness of DM halo. We find that (1) varying the DM density has a profound effect on the stellar bar evolution along the $\lambda$-sequence, namely, on its amplitude, pattern speed, buckling time, etc.; (2) For $\lambda\gtrsim 0.04$, the buckling instability has been delayed progressively, and does not occur when the bar has reached its maximal strength; (3) Instead, stellar bars remain near maximal strength, and their amplitude plateau stage extends over $\sim 1-7$ Gyr, terminating with the buckling instability; (4) Although stellar bars remain strong during the plateau, their pattern speed stays nearly constant. The reason for this unusual behavior of stellar bars follows from the highly reduced gravitational torques which they experience due to the DM bar being aligned with the stellar bar. The performed orbital analysis shows that the delayed buckling results from a slow evolution of stellar oscillations along the bar major and vertical axes -- thus postponing the action of the vertical 2:1 resonance which pumps the rotational energy into vertical motions; (5) Peanut/boxy shaped bulges form at the beginning of the plateau and grow with time; (6) Strong stellar bars in spinning halos can avoid fast braking, resolving the long standing discrepancy between observations and $N$-body simulations. This behavior of stellar bars along the $\lambda$- and DM density-sequences, reveals a wealth of stellar bar properties which require additional study.